Kuwait experienced more rain in the last two weeks than it has since records began. By some estimates, there was 25 centimetres of rain over four days, more precipitation than the country receives on average in one year.

Many new areas in Kuwait flooded heavily, causing 100 million Kuwait dinars (Dh1.2 billion) in damages, killing one and prompting the government to take extreme measures.

The Cabinet of Ministers suspended work and schools for three days. Kuwait’s stock market closed last week, and the Minister of Public Works, Hussam Al Roumi, resigned.

The discovery of the mines is among a long list of problems that have been brought to light by the rains. Several cities in the arid GCC are ill-equipped to deal with the occasional torrential downpours, which cause fatal flash floodings.